Ventidius, one of Timon's falfe Friends. Thieves, Senators, Poet, Painter, Jeweller, Mercer and Merchant; with divers fervants and attendants. SCENE, Athens; and the Woods not far from it. TIMON of ATHENS ACT I. SCENE, A Hall in Timon's House. Enter Poet, Painter, Jeweller, Merchant, and Mercer, at feveral doors. G РОЕТ. OOD day, Sir. Pain. I am glad y' are well. Poet. I have not feen you long; how goes the world? Pain. It wears, Sir, as it goes. Poet. Ay, that's well known. But what particular rarity? what so strange, Jew. Nay, that's most fixt. Mer. A most incomparable man, breath'd as it were To To an untirable and continuate goodness. He paffes Few. I have a jewel here. Mer. O, pray, let's fee't: For the lord Timon, Sir? Jew. If he will touch the estimate: but for that Poet. When we for recompence have prais'd the vile, It ftains the glory in that happy verse Which aptly fings the good. Mer. 'Tis a good form. [Looking on the jewel. Few. And rich; here is a water, look ye. Pain. You're rapt, Sir, in fome Work, fome dedication To the great lord. Poet. A thing flipt idly from me. Our Poefie is as a Gum, which iffues From whence 'tis nourished. The fire i'th' flint Shews not, 'till it be ftruck: our gentle flame Each Bound it chafes. What have you there? (1) Pain. 'Tis a good piece. Poet. So 'tis, This comes off well and excellent. Pain. Indiff'rent. Poet. Admirable! how this grace Speaks his own ftanding? what a mental power (1) Each Bound it chafes.-] How, chafes? The Flood, indeed, beating up upon the Shore, covers a Part of it, but cannot be faid to drive the Shore away. The Poet's Allufion is to a Wave, which, foaming and chafing on the Shore, breaks; and then the Water feems to the Eye to retire. So, in Lear, -The murmuring Surge, That on th unnumber'd idle Pebbles chafes, &c. And fo in Ful. Cæfar. The troubled Tiber, chafing with his Shores, Pain. It is a pretty mocking of the life : Here is a Touch-is't good? Poet. I'll fay of it, It tutors Nature; artificial ftrife Lives in those touches, livelier than life. Enter certain Senators. Pain. How this lord is followed! Poet. The Senators of Athens! happy man! (2) Poet. You fee this confluence, this great flood of vifiters. In a wide fea of wax; no levell❜d malice Pain. How fhall I understand you? You fee, how all conditions, how all minds, Pain. I faw them fpeak together. Poet. I have upon a high and pleasant hill (2) Happy Men !] Thus the printed Copies: but I cannot think the Poet meant, that the Senators were happy in being admitted to Timon; their Quality might command That: but that Timon was happy in being follow'd, and carefs'd, by thofe of their Rank and Dignity. VOL. V. P That |